Those are the sentiments expressed by a number of suburban school officials regarding the recently released Pennsylvania System of School Assessment exam scores for math and reading.

"So many people look at those numbers when they are published and make a decision that a school is failing. But that's not necessarily the case," said Michael Brinkos, superintendent of the McKeesport Area School District.

Dr. Brinkos said the district has quality instructors, but "We have a greater challenge because we have to meet the needs of a diverse population."

McKeesport Area and two other Allegheny County school districts, Sto-Rox and Wilkinsburg, did not make adequate yearly progress -- known as AYP -- under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, based on math and reading tests, attendance or graduation.

In addition, three other schools need to make targets for two consecutive years to be fully reaching AYP.

The remaining 37 districts in the county made AYP, but about 20 of them had one or more schools that did not. Some were in such high-achieving districts as North Allegheny and Fox Chapel Area, where the special education subgroup did not meet targets in some schools.

Results from the PSSA were released this month, including those for math and reading, which were given in the spring in grades 3-8 and 11.

Students were rated in four performance levels: below basic, basic, proficient and advanced.

Statewide, Education Secretary Gerald Zahorchak said this year's results were the best ever, with 95 percent of districts and 78 percent of schools meeting their AYP targets.